Aerosol generator equipped with a controller for identifying susceptors

Abstract

The present invention relates to an aerosol generator for use with a plurality of different aerosol generating articles. Each of the plurality of different aerosol generating articles comprises an aerosol-forming substrate and a susceptor. Each susceptor of each of the plurality of different aerosol generating articles differs from the other susceptors of the plurality of different aerosol generating articles with respect to one or more of the susceptor shape, susceptor size, and susceptor material. The aerosol generator comprises a cavity configured to receive one of the plurality of different aerosol generating articles. The device comprises an induction coil and a controller for heating the susceptor. The controller is configured to supply an electrical signal to the induction coil. The controller is configured to identify the induction response of the susceptor in response to the supply of the electrical signal. The controller is configured to distinguish the plurality of different aerosol generating articles based on the susceptor shape, susceptor size, and susceptor material in order to identify the aerosol generating article received in the cavity.

Claims

1. An aerosol generator for use with multiple different aerosol generating articles, wherein each of the multiple different aerosol generating articles comprises an aerosol forming substrate and a susceptor, and each susceptor of each of the multiple different aerosol generating articles differs from the other susceptors of the multiple different aerosol generating articles with respect to one or more of the susceptor shape, susceptor size, and susceptor material. The aerosol generator, A cavity configured to receive one of the aforementioned multiple different aerosol-generating articles, An induction coil for heating the susceptor, and Equipped with a controller, An aerosol generator comprising: a controller configured to supply an electrical signal to the induction coil; a controller configured to identify an induction response of the susceptor in response to the supply of the electrical signal; and a controller configured to distinguish between a plurality of different aerosol-generating articles based on the susceptor shape, susceptor size, and susceptor material in order to identify the aerosol-generating article received in the cavity.

2. The aerosol generator according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to identify one or both of the transient response and the frequency response.

3. The aerosol generator according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the device comprises a sensing element, preferably the sensing element comprises a sensing coil, the sensing element is configured to detect the induction response of the susceptor in response to the supply of the electrical signal, and the controller is configured to identify the induction response of the susceptor in response to the supply of the electrical signal based on the output of the sensing element.

4. The aerosol generator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the controller is configured to identify the inductive response of the susceptor in response to the supply of the electrical signal, based on either or both of the current and voltage of the supplied electrical signal.

5. The aerosol generator according to claim 4, wherein the sensing element is configured to detect the current of the electrical signal supplied to the induction coil.

6. The aerosol generator according to any one of claims 4 and 5, wherein the controller comprises a voltage measuring element, and the controller is configured to identify the inductive response of the susceptor in response to the supply of the electrical signal based on the output of the voltage measuring element.

7. The aerosol generator according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the sensing element is arranged to at least partially, preferably completely, surround the cavity.

8. The aerosol generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the induction coil is arranged to at least partially, preferably completely, surround the cavity.

9. An aerosol generating article for use in an aerosol generator, wherein the article comprises an aerosol-forming substrate, and the article comprises at least one susceptor, the shape, size, and / or material of the susceptor being adapted to trigger an inductive response for identification in the aerosol generator.

10. The aerosol generating article according to claim 9, wherein the shape of the susceptor is selected from a rectangular shape having one or more through holes, a parallelogram shape having at least one undulating edge, and a helical shape.

11. The aerosol generating article according to any one of claims 9 and 10, wherein the susceptor comprises at least a first portion and a second portion, and the first portion is made of a different material from the second portion.

12. The aerosol generating article according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the article comprises at least two susceptors, preferably each of the susceptors having a rectangular shape.

13. A set comprising at least a first aerosol generating article and a second aerosol generating article according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the susceptor of the first article is configured to differ from the susceptor of the second article with respect to one or more of the susceptor shape, susceptor size, and susceptor material.

14. An aerosol generating system comprising an aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, and preferably an aerosol generating article according to any one of claims 9 to 12.

15. A method for identifying an aerosol generating article in an aerosol generating device of the aerosol generating system according to claim 14, comprising identifying the induction response of the susceptor in response to the supply of an electrical signal.

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